Work is progressing well at KGV Park.
The new artificial pitch has been laid and looks superb.
The new lights should be erected and in operation in a couple of weeks.
I imagine work on the grandstand and the antiquated change rooms will follow.
Meanwhile, at South Hobart Oval, one of the most historic football grounds in Tasmania, the dog walkers still rule the roost.
How the Hobart City Council can countenance such an arrangement mystifies me.
South Hobart Oval was a cricket and football ground for at least seven decades.
It has hosted some famous teams, players and important contests since at least the 1950s.
The ‘Keen’s Curry’ sign, made by spelling out the letters with white stones, high up on the hill near the ground is still there.
When my father used to take me to games at South Hobart in the late 1950s - when I was only 10 years old - I always knew we were almost at the ground when I saw that sign on the hillside.
South Hobart was soccer headquarters.
%20002.jpg)
In succeeding years, the Tasmanian Soccer Association had their offices beside the netball courts on the city end of the ground.
South Melbourne Hellas, State teams such as Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia, have all played there.
Who can forget the Tasmania versus New South Wales game played there in the early 1990s. Tasmania led 4-1 with 20 minutes to play, but NSW won 5-4.
The Joeys have trained there, as have Nagoya Grampus Eight (complete with Gary Linneker).
George Best has played there.
And then, in about 2018, something changed.
The Hobart City Council designated the ground as a dog-walking ground, and one where dogs could run off-leash.
Football had to hire the ground for games and training, while for the rest of the time, it was a dog park and remained unlocked all day and night.
How was this decision made? Perhaps some bush lawyers and animal activists, a powerful lobby group, got into someone’s ear and the ground no longer became a mecca only for football. It became dog heaven.
One has to feel sorry for the South Hobart club, which hires the ground for matches and some training sessions because club volunteers invariably have to remove dog droppings from the ground before games. The bare brown patches caused by dog wee is another feature of the ground these days.
How can this be hygienic? I could list at least a dozen diseases that one can contract from dog droppings. If players slip on the turds and sustain cuts, they could become seriously ill. Dog droppings and sport don’t mix.
This applies to men’s, women’s and junior football. Slipping on dog droppings on a premier sports arena is simply abhorrent.
Football is an easy target because the fans, players and clubs lack political clout and are largely apathetic. They are not activists like the dog lobby.
Imagine the outcry if North Hobart Oval and the TCA ground were designated as dog parks outside game times. They are both fenced grounds and would be suitable.
It would never happen, though, as there would be a public outcry.
South Hobart FC have almost $1.5m in the kitty through government grants and yet they cannot spend it on ground improvements because the venue is a dog park and not just a football ground. Why would they?
The
community can have its say as the Hobart City Council is calling for
submissions and views about the use of South Hobart Oval in its South Hobart Oval and Park Survey.
The closing date for comment is 11 December 2022. Go to the Hobart City Council website and find the link to have your say. The dog walkers are sure to.
The football community and South Hobart FC need to reclaim what has always been one of the most famous homes of football in Tasmania.
There are other areas that the council can fence and use as dog parks.
The football community should be offended at how football has been trampled on by selfish vested interests.
37 comments:
I totally agree Walter. Mind you, I don’t have too much faith in the Hobart Council
Walter you are correct . I wonder why all HCC controlled grounds have not been opened to our canine friends. TCA and North Hobart Oval to name two.
Morton is always moaning sadly the ground does not belong to you or your CLUB .
Thoroughly agree. It is likely that the local neighborhood lobby has exerted some influence in allowing the use of the ground as a dog relieving station! It is in its fundamental character a boutique football venue with a long history that the HCC seems to have forgotten. This article helps remind us all of the history and subsequent importance of the venue to the football code and the city of Hobart. It deserves to be reinstated as a dedicated football venue. EK
Anonymous, the ground is a football ground and has been for decades. The council has abrogated its responsibility of duty of care to provide a safe environment for sports teams and players by allowing the ground to be used as a dog park. Why don't they do the same to North Hobart and the TCA? The heat would be too great, that's why.
Hello Anonymous 10.20am Nov 30.
I note you do not have the courage to put your name to your post.
South Hobart Football club has used the ground for over 112 years and no we don't think we own it but we do pay ground hire fees which are used for the upkeep of the ground and facilities. Ground hire costs are not inconsequential for the club and are passed onto the players who use the facility. Surely if you pay for a service you expect a standard to be delivered back to you and shouldn't be expected to pick up dog excrement before using the facility.
Other premier sports grounds in the City of Hobart do not have this issue.
Neither North Hobart Oval or the TCA allow dogs on their surfaces. The municipalities of Kingborough, Brighton and Clarence do not allow dogs on sports grounds.
Schools do not allow dogs on sports grounds.
Surely the health and safety risks to children playing football on South Hobart Oval whilst used as a dog park is equivalent to the risk if schools allowed dogs on their grounds.
Would the City of Hobart allow us to play football in the John Turnbull dog park? Surely they would point out the health risks and not allow it so why is it allowed in reverse?
So yes, I will continue to "moan" because as the President of my club and the Central Region Junior Football Association I have an obligation to lobby for safe playing conditions for players who use Council facilities.
Victoria Morton President South Hobart FC
As the major tenant of South Hobart Oval , I suggest that SHFC seek, IN WRITING , confirmation from the HCC that the HCC will accept any liability in respect to any player who sustains an infection or worse from contact with dog faeces on the playing surface at South Hobart Oval.
This may result in the HCC taking a little more notice than they have been.
If SHFC have already done this then so be it.
Well said Walter - as a football community we all have to use a united voice as at one stage or another we all play there.
Walter is correct cricket or afl would start at riot (not that they would be targeted to begin with) so lets do something as a football community together and support our code in a united front.
This is an OH&S issue for the council and they need to step up as the council cannot ignore it's own laws. With the costs of ground hire I would say to South, tell the council to have their employees pick the turds up every Saturday and Sunday before games or South send the council a bill for picking up the turds.
And yet Warrior Park was deemed as not suitable to playing NPL/WSL games as part of the licence application.
Go figure FT.
as 3:50Pm and Walter have said there are many diseases from dog droppings and an OH&S issues. The only thing I'm concerned about is that it may take legal action against the council before anything is done.
Stand Up Lord Mayor!
This is an important green space for local families who pay rates and therefore also contribute to the upkeep of the ground. It is frequently used by kids playing cricket, football or throwing around a frisbee and by individuals and families taking their dog for a walk or meeting up with friends and extended family, with and without pets. There are often several groups of people using the ground for various purposes at the same time. One group or club should not be able to restrict the use of the ground by others. There is no other space like it in the neighbourhood.
It is fantastic that the SHFC have such a long history at the ground and I really hope that continues. Volunteers should not have to pick up after other people’s dogs. Dog walkers should be respectful and pick up after their own dogs. A better supply of bags might help this problem. But I would imagine many SHFC players encounter dog droppings on a regular basis in their own backyards, have worked out strategies for safely removing it from the ground and will probably survive an occasional encounter at the oval. It is not nuclear waste.
Perhaps it's annoying but the angle taken here on the OH&S dog poo is completely senationalised - I must have had close encounters with many thousand dog poo in my time and on each and every occasion survived to tell the grandkids
11.38 pm.
You supply your own bags to put your dog poo in. They shouldn’t need to be supplied
Anon 6.49AM
You may be correct , however this is the direction society is leading us .
Kids playing in mud not good for them. Kids walking to school is dangerous.
Not keeping score in kids sports so they don't feel disappointed in losing.
Don't reward kids with ribbons for winning races because those that don't win will be upset.
Governments, councils introduce laws , rules , guidelines in order to protect themselves and public from each other. Society has created and nurtured this situation of avoiding liability for everything and responsibility for none.
This is a legitimate request from the users of South Hobart Oval based on the requirements and expectations of society these days.
If ALL the dog owners that used the ground did the right thing and picked up their doggie poo then no-one would have anything to complain about .
Simple really.
There are plenty of other spaces in South Hobart:
Rivulet, Wellesly Park and Davey St reserve and Wentworth St reserve.
The soccer ground (there is no other sport that is played on there) is a safe place for families to play. The ground should be treated like the TCA, North Hobart footy ground etc
Why can't Wellesley Park be used for all football activities.
Wasn't there a grant for that to be upgraded recently?
Or is cricket there during the cricket season?
Or maybe the dog walkers could use Wellesley Park instead.
Just a few options.........
I wonder why school ovals aren't open to dogs? Pretty obvious I'd have thought. Same applies to sports grounds.
Its the South Hobart Green Belt that would want it hence the fact the HCC don't care.
Dog owners pay a fee every year. Some of them are elderly. Where do you expect them to exercise their dogs-which is a legal requirement under the Dog Act?
Who is protecting them from all the rubbish left behind by Football players?
Anonymous user - making untrue accusations hidden behind your keyboard as ‘anonymous’
Rather weak and pathetic
Find another space - a long and emotionally written piece but sports and dogs don’t mix - the end
It’s a sports ground
Miss school grounds and school sports ovals would never never let dogs on there
Agree it’s not a good angle to take there are better arguments to push and lead with
I remember back in the 80's when Calies moved to West Hobart. I used to take the under age kids. On a Thursday night when we trained we would spend about 20 minutes picking up all the dog turds from the ground. Seniors trained after us so all worked well. Happy dog owners & happy non smelly players. Live & let live. Remember we all live in Tasmania & our game is a little behind the times !!. Stop winging & think of Ukraine. They would love to play on a dog turd covered pitch as long as they were not being bombed !.
Hello Anonymous November 30, 2022 at 11:38 PM
The South Hobart Football Club has never and will never suggest that the South Hobart Oval should not be used by people. We only ask that the Council find another venue for dogs to be exercised. We understand about the value of green space for all.
With respect members of the South Hobart Football Club are rate payers too. We also pay around $100 per hour to rent the venue. We play in the State League for men and women. Our games are broadcast. No other State League team of any code has to clean up a venue they rent before playing games. We pay a very similar rent to North Hobart Oval and to The TCA but they do not have to clean up the venue before using it.
Ray C thanks for your comments. The difference between West Hobart Oval and North Hobart Oval is that Council list us and charge us as a Premier sportsground. The rent at West Hobart is a fraction of that at South Hobart Oval. There is no grandstand with a capacity for 800 people at West Hobart Oval. There are no changerooms at West Hobart Oval. With respect you consider our game to be a little behind in Tasmania, perhaps that is because you accept this is all right and are not prepared to strive for something better.
Anonymous December 1, 2022 at 11:22 AM
Wellesley Park is used for off lead when sport is not being played. There is no grandstand at Wellesley Park, no camera platform and two small dressing rooms. The club has reached 38% female participation and the facilities are not adequate for State League. Wellesley Park is heavily used February to October every afternoon and night for training and for matches on the weekends. We only leave in the Summer to allow the ground to be rehabilitated by Council. There is no room for expansion. Thanks for your suggestions though.
Anonymous December 2, 2022 at 5:52 PM
I would like to hear if our players/spectators leave rubbish behind because this is not acceptable. Perhaps you could photograph this and let us know we will certainly follow up. Did you know that we have to photograph every dog poo that is on the ground and send it to Council "for the record?" Please do let us know because we do clean up after every game and if we miss something we would like to know.
Thanks for your comments everyone. Happy to answer but it would be nice if you could put your name to the comments so I know who I am talking to please. My number is on our website or you can email me: presidentsouthhobartfc@bigpond.com
Victoria Morton
President South Hobart FC
the facilities are not suitable just like olympia's, even worse ???
Why are they not banished from the NPL!!
Because Olympia are a basket case right now. South are on a different level again. Such a silly comment !
Historically, it's a community recreation ground and was also used for grazing livestock. Read Beneath the Mountain by Alison Alexander
Historically, it's a community recreation ground and was also used for grazing livestock. Read Beneath the Mountain by Alison Alexander
- SOHO History Buff
The state of the ground still has a large impact on things. South’s ground has no floodlights and the ground is an open dog park. Warrior park is an Astro surface used in all weather with working floodlights. Plenty of games were moved to warrior park last season because the other grounds weren’t suited to the weather at the time but somehow warrior park isn’t up to standard this season. Look at riverside, they have been a basket case for several seasons but have a very good ground which helps them out a lot with the state of their licence.
Floodlights and the uses of the ground outside of football are not criteria for the NPL. Having a perimeter fence and an approved playing surface are. Simple really.
Thanks for answering a question I had re floodlights and the NPL.
Anon 11:03am.
Would rather have a flat playing surface instead of a ground like D'arcy Street where it has a 45-degree slope.
2.39pm
45 degree slope……is one of your legs much shorter than the other or was maths not your strength?
Can agree Darcy st definitely isn’t a flat surface
Anon 5:37pm.
No and Yes.
Why can't the HCC council after all these years finally make it flat/even.
Doesn't get used in the off season so do it then and install proper drainage instead of using the 45 degree slope to do all the drainage work.
Hmmm....Clare Street Oval hosts footballers, cricketers and dogs.
Not so unusual it seems.
Post a Comment